A New York Times article uncovered multiple incidents of Weinstein's sexually harassment or abuse. Thousands of women embracing the "Me Too" movement to own their histories of sexual harassment and abuse, and those issues swirling at high volume in the culture overall, parents are reaching for teachable moments in the post-Weinstein world. less

A New York Times article uncovered multiple incidents of Weinstein's sexually harassment or abuse. Thousands of women embracing the "Me Too" movement to own their histories of sexual harassment and abuse, and ... more

Photo: Chris Pizzello, Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

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Matt Lauer

NBC News fired longtime "Today" show host Matt Lauer on Wednesday for "inappropriate sexual behavior," making him the second morning television show personality to lose his job because of sexual misconduct charges in a week. less

NBC News fired longtime "Today" show host Matt Lauer on Wednesday for "inappropriate sexual behavior," making him the second morning television show personality to lose his job because of sexual misconduct ... more

Photo: Richard Drew, AP

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Louis C.K.

Louis C.K. has been accused of sexual misconduct toward several women, including masturbating in front of them to their horror and embarrassment, according to a report in The New York Times.

Louis C.K. has been accused of sexual misconduct toward several women, including masturbating in front of them to their horror and embarrassment, according to a report in The New York Times.

Photo: Chris Pizzello, Associated Press

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Kevin Spacey

Spacey says he is “beyond horrified” by allegations that he made sexual advances on Anthony Rapp when he was a teen boy in 1986. Spacey posted on Twitter that he does not remember the encounter but apologizes for the behavior. less

Spacey says he is “beyond horrified” by allegations that he made sexual advances on Anthony Rapp when he was a teen boy in 1986. Spacey posted on Twitter that he does not remember the encounter but ... more

Photo: Evan Agostini, Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

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Al Franken

Sen. Al Franken has announced his resignation from the Senate after accusations of sexual harassment. Leeann Tweeden, shown above, accused the Senator of groping her while they were touring with the USO before Franken took office. Subsequent accusations were made for alleged actions while Franken was in office. less

Sen. Al Franken has announced his resignation from the Senate after accusations of sexual harassment. Leeann Tweeden, shown above, accused the Senator of groping her while they were touring with the USO before ... more

Photo: Creighton Holub, Associated Press

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Charlie Rose

The Washington Post says eight women have accused television host Charlie Rose of multiple unwanted sexual advances and inappropriate behavior. CBS News fired Rose and PBS is to halt production and distribution of his show following the sexual harassment report. less

The Washington Post says eight women have accused television host Charlie Rose of multiple unwanted sexual advances and inappropriate behavior. CBS News fired Rose and PBS is to halt production and distribution ... more

Photo: Theo Wargo

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Rep. Trent Franks

Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., announced his resignation after an ethics inquiry into his discussion of surrogacy with female staffers

Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., announced his resignation after an ethics inquiry into his discussion of surrogacy with female staffers

Photo: Carolyn Kaster

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John Lasseter

Pixar and Disney Animation chief John Lasseter is accused by several women of unwanted touching and has announced he is taking a six-month leave of absence. He has acknowledged some "missteps" with employees and apologized for any behavior that made workers uncomfortable. less

Pixar and Disney Animation chief John Lasseter is accused by several women of unwanted touching and has announced he is taking a six-month leave of absence. He has acknowledged some "missteps" with employees ... more

Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

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James Toback

Toback, who received an Oscar nomination for writing "Bugsy," has been accused of sexual harassment by more than 30 women. He said: "anyone who says it is a lying c---r or c- or both ... Anyone who says that, I just want to spit in his or her f--g face." less

Toback, who received an Oscar nomination for writing "Bugsy," has been accused of sexual harassment by more than 30 women. He said: "anyone who says it is a lying c---r or c- or both ... Anyone who says that, I ... more

Photo: Richard Shotwell, Associated Press

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Former President George H.W. Bush

Accused of patting seven women (including Heather Lind, pictured above) below the waist while posing for photos with them in recent years, well after he left office. The 93-year-old Republican has issued repeated apologies through a spokesman "to anyone he has offended," with the spokesman noting that the former president uses a wheelchair and that his arm sinks below people's waists when they take photos with him. less

Accused of patting seven women (including Heather Lind, pictured above) below the waist while posing for photos with them in recent years, well after he left office. The 93-year-old Republican has issued ... more

Photo: STF

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Warren Moon

Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon has been accused of sexual harassment by an assistant for his sports marketing firm, according to a lawsuit filed in California. The civil lawsuit was filed Monday in Orange County Superior Court. According to court documents, Wendy Haskell alleges Moon made "unwanted and unsolicited" sexual advances as part of her role as his assistant working for Sports 1 Marketing. Moon is the co-founder and president of the company.

Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon has been accused of sexual harassment by an assistant for his sports marketing firm, according to a lawsuit filed in California. The civil lawsuit was filed Monday in Orange

U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore was accused of sexually assaulting two women decades ago when they were teenagers. About a half-dozen other women also have accused Moore of inappropriate conduct. Moore, a former state Supreme Court chief justice, has called the allegations "unsubstantiated," ''unproven" and "fake." He has rebuffed pressure from national Republican leaders to step aside; the state GOP is standing by him. less

U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore was accused of sexually assaulting two women decades ago when they were teenagers. About a half-dozen other women also have accused Moore of inappropriate conduct. Moore, a ... more

Photo: Brynn Anderson, Associated Press

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Dr. Larry Nassar

Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman says she is among the young women abused by a former USA Gymnastics team doctor. Raisman tells "60 Minutes" she was 15 when she was first treated by Dr. Larry Nassar, who spent more than two decades working with athletes at USA Gymnastics. He's now is in jail in Michigan awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography. less

Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman says she is among the young women abused by a former USA Gymnastics team doctor. Raisman tells "60 Minutes" she was 15 when she was first treated by Dr. Larry Nassar, who spent more ... more

Photo: Robert Killips

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Brett Ratner

Film director Brett Ratner has been accused by six women, Including actress Olivia Munn, of harassment or misconduct in a Los Angeles Times report.

Film director Brett Ratner has been accused by six women, Including actress Olivia Munn, of harassment or misconduct in a Los Angeles Times report.

Photo: Willy Sanjuan

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Mark Halperin

Halperin apologized for what he terms "inappropriate" behavior after five women claimed he sexually harassed them while he was a top ABC News executive.

Halperin apologized for what he terms "inappropriate" behavior after five women claimed he sexually harassed them while he was a top ABC News executive.

Photo: Richard Shotwell, Associated Press

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Russell Simmons

In a report published Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in the Los Angeles Times, Model Keri Claussen Khalighi accused Simmons of sexual misconduct in 1991 when she was 17-years-old. Simmons, denied the allegations in a statement. less

In a report published Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in the Los Angeles Times, Model Keri Claussen Khalighi accused Simmons of sexual misconduct in 1991 when she was 17-years-old. Simmons, denied the allegations in a ... more

Photo: Chris Pizzello, INVL

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Steven Seagal

Jenny McCarthy said on her Sirius XM show Nov. 9, 2017, that Seagal sexually harassed her during an audition in 1995. A Seagal spokesman has denied the McCarthy’s accusations to The Daily Beast.

Jenny McCarthy said on her Sirius XM show Nov. 9, 2017, that Seagal sexually harassed her during an audition in 1995. A Seagal spokesman has denied the McCarthy’s accusations to The Daily Beast.

Photo: Ivan Sekretarev, AP

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Jeremy Piven

CBS is investigating a sexual harassment allegation against Piven, who currently stars in the CBS series, "Wisdom of the Crowd." Actress and reality star Ariane Bellamar claimed in posts on her Twitter account that the Emmy-winning "Entourage" star groped her on two occasions. less

CBS is investigating a sexual harassment allegation against Piven, who currently stars in the CBS series, "Wisdom of the Crowd." Actress and reality star Ariane Bellamar claimed in posts on her Twitter account ... more

Photo: Richard Shotwell, Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

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Garrison Keillor

Author and humorist Garrison Keillor of "Prairie Home Companion" fame he has been fired by Minnesota Public Radio over allegations of improper behavior

Author and humorist Garrison Keillor of "Prairie Home Companion" fame he has been fired by Minnesota Public Radio over allegations of improper behavior

Photo: Leila Navidi

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Michael Oreskes

Former executive Michael Oreskes lost his job as National Public Radio newsroom chief following sexual harassment reports. Oreskes was vice president and senior managing editor at the AP from 2008 to 2015.

Former executive Michael Oreskes lost his job as National Public Radio newsroom chief following sexual harassment reports. Oreskes was vice president and senior managing editor at the AP from 2008 to 2015.

Photo: Chuck Zoeller, AP

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Chef John Besh

Chef John Besh stepped down from the restaurant group that bears his name after a newspaper reported that 25 current or former employees of the business said they were victims of sexual harassment.

Chef John Besh stepped down from the restaurant group that bears his name after a newspaper reported that 25 current or former employees of the business said they were victims of sexual harassment.

Photo: Edmund D. Fountain, For The Chronicle

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Dustin Hoffman

Hoffman is apologizing for alleged sexual harassment of a 17-year-old intern in 1985. Writer Anna Graham Hunter alleges that the 80-year-old actor groped her on the set of TV movie “Death of a Salesman” and “talked about sex to me and in front of me.” less

Hoffman is apologizing for alleged sexual harassment of a 17-year-old intern in 1985. Writer Anna Graham Hunter alleges that the 80-year-old actor groped her on the set of TV movie “Death of a Salesman” and ... more

Photo: Jordan Strauss, Associated Press

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Ed Westwick

The BBC said Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, it is pulling a new Agatha Christie adaptation from its television schedule because of a sexual assault allegation against actor Westwick. Westwick has strenuously denied the allegation. less

The BBC said Friday, Nov. 10, 2017, it is pulling a new Agatha Christie adaptation from its television schedule because of a sexual assault allegation against actor Westwick. Westwick has strenuously denied the ... more

Photo: Dan Steinberg, Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP

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Tom Wopat

The former star of "The Dukes of Hazzard" has been accused of indecently assaulting two female members of a musical in Massachusetts.

The former star of "The Dukes of Hazzard" has been accused of indecently assaulting two female members of a musical in Massachusetts.

Photo: AP

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Jeffrey Tambor

Trace Lysette, an actress on "Transparent," says the shows star Tambor pressed his body against hers in a sexually aggressive manner during filming and made inappropriate and unwanted sexual statements. Tambor denies the allegations saying he has never been a predator - ever. less

Trace Lysette, an actress on "Transparent," says the shows star Tambor pressed his body against hers in a sexually aggressive manner during filming and made inappropriate and unwanted sexual statements. ... more

Photo: Willy Sanjuan

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Robert Knepper

Knepper was accused by one woman of sexual assault. He denies the allegations.

Knepper was accused by one woman of sexual assault. He denies the allegations.

Photo: Richard Shotwell, Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

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George Takei

Takei has denied he groped a struggling model in 1981.

Takei has denied he groped a struggling model in 1981.

Photo: Phil Mccarten, AP

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Jann Wenner

Rolling Stone co-founder and publisher Jann Wenner was accused by one man of sexual harassment. He says he did not intend to make the accuser uncomfortable.

Rolling Stone co-founder and publisher Jann Wenner was accused by one man of sexual harassment. He says he did not intend to make the accuser uncomfortable.

Photo: Evan Agostini, Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

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New Republic publisher Hamilton Fish faces multiple sexual harassment allegations. He has resigned from the magazine.

Correction: An earlier version of this slideshow contained an incorrect photo. SFGATE regrets the error.

New Republic editor Leon Wieseltier is accused of sexually harassing numerous women. Removed from the masthead of The Atlantic magazine. He has apologized for his behavior.

New Republic editor Leon Wieseltier is accused of sexually harassing numerous women. Removed from the masthead of The Atlantic magazine. He has apologized for his behavior.

Photo: Dan Balilty, AP

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Glenn Thrush

New York Times White House reporter Glenn Thrush is accused of making drunken, unwanted advances on women. He disputes some of the accusations but has said he had had a drinking problem and apologized for "any situation where I behaved inappropriately." less

New York Times White House reporter Glenn Thrush is accused of making drunken, unwanted advances on women. He disputes some of the accusations but has said he had had a drinking problem and apologized for "any ... more

Photo: Kirk Irwin

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Jeff Hoover

Kentucky House Speaker Jeff Hoover stepped down as speaker this month after news surfaced that the Republican had settled a sexual harassment claim from a GOP caucus staffer. Hoover denied the harassment allegation but said he sent consensual yet inappropriate text messages. He remains in the Legislature.

Kentucky House Speaker Jeff Hoover stepped down as speaker this month after news surfaced that the Republican had settled a sexual harassment claim from a GOP caucus staffer. Hoover denied the harassment

Florida Democratic Party Chairman Stephen Bittel (center), is accused of sexually inappropriate comments and behavior toward a number of women, Bittel resigned. Meanwhile, Democratic state Sen. Jeff Clemens resigned after a report that he had an extramarital affair with a lobbyist, and Republican state Sen. Jack Latvala is being investigated by the Senate over allegations of harassment and groping. Latvala has denied the allegations.

Batali has taken leave from his restaurants and co-hosting duties on ABC's "The Chew" after the website Eater reported Monday, Dec. 11, 2017 that four women, all unnamed, have accused Batali of sexual harassment. In the wake of the allegations, the Food Network announced it is putting plans to relaunch his seminal show, "Molto Mario," next year on hold.

In the backdrop of the #MeToo movement, when several politicians have been routed from office for sexually inappropriate behavior from years ago, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom offered an answer for voters who might be hesitant to support him for governor because of a 2007 affair he had with a subordinate while he was mayor of San Francisco.

“I would say the same thing that I said (then) to the voters in San Francisco: that I acknowledged it. I apologized for it. I learned an enormous amount from it,” Newsom said Monday during an onstage interview at the University of San Francisco. “And I am every day trying to be a champion and a model — not just for women and girls — but to deal with the issue that we need to focus on, which is the crisis with men and boys in this state and in this country.” He described a culture of “toxic masculinity” where men are responsible for much of the violence in the nation.

In 2007, Newsom — who was then separated from his first wife, Kimberly Guilfoyle — publicly apologized for having a consensual affair with Ruby Rippey-Tourk, who was then his commission appointments secretary.

A subsequent City Attorney’s Office report into whether it was proper for Rippey-Tourk to receive $10,154 in “catastrophic illness pay” from the city after she left her job after the affair, uncovered nothing illegal, but raised questions about whether she should have been eligible for the payments. According to the report, the pay was based on her acceptance into the city’s Catastrophic Illness Program, or CIP.

The report said it is is supposed to be offered to employees with “a life-threatening illness or injury, as determined by the Department of Public Health” to “reduce hardship and suffering of catastrophically ill city employees.” The report questioned whether Rippey-Tourk, who took leave from City Hall in May 2006 to enter a substance abuse program, should have been eligible for that program.

Newsom was speaking Thursday at the University of San Francisco as part of the university’s series of one-on-one interviews with the top gubernatorial candidates co-sponsored by Politico and the school’s Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good.

Asked by Politico’s Carla Marinucci, who conducted the interview, whether he had any similar transgressions since that time, Newsom said, “Of course not.”

He applauded the courage of the women who have publicly called out inappropriate sexual behavior in Sacramento.

Last week, the state Senate and Assembly released documents revealing 20 substantiated complaints of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior against lawmakers or high-level legislative staffers over the past 12 years. They included cases against six current and former elected officials, including one of Newsom’s gubernatorial candidate rivals — Assemblyman Travis Allen, R-Huntington Beach (Orange County). Allen was found to have routinely gotten “unnecessarily close” to one female staffer in 2013, including sitting close to her while sliding his foot to touch hers.

In a statement, Allen said, “There has never been anything in any of my actions that has been inappropriate, and nor will there ever be.”

On policy, Newsom said Monday that he would make addressing homelessness a focus of his governorship and outlined several ways he would address the problem, including appointing a statewide homeless czar.

“That leadership has been lacking for decades in California,” Newsom said. “There has been no intentionality supporting local and regional efforts to address the issue of homelessness emanating from Sacramento. None. There are no statewide goals to end homelessness. There is no vision to end homelessness in the state of California.

“I’m going to step up significantly on this issue,” he said.

With $19.5 million in the bank, Newsom has a vast fundraising lead over his opponents and is the early poll leader, too. Newsom was the top choice of 26 percent of the likely voters responding to a December 2017 Berkeley IGS Poll, with Villaraigosa at 17 percent. Two Republicans — Rancho Santa Fe businessman John Cox and Allen, R-Huntington Beach — each grabbed 9 percent, with Chiang and former Superintendent of Public Instruction Eastin each getting 5 percent. Another candidate, former Sacramento-area GOP Rep. Doug Ose, entered the race in January and was not included in the polling.